The Graduation
by Jenny111
Summary: Not shown in the motion picture


Amber_18's Fan Fiction "A Walk to Remember"

"The Graduation"

We were married the week before graduation ceremonies. Although Jamie spent the last month of school getting treatment and I spent most of that month with her, it was questionable if we would graduate at all. Jamie and I made it back from a brief honeymoon to take our final exams. We didn't have to ask our teachers for leniency. They passed both of us and we would graduate from high school. A few weeks ago, everyone voted for who they wanted to speak at graduation. It was a unanimous vote. My wife would be speaking at our graduation.

We were both getting ready that day in June. Though it was very warm outside, Jamie insisted that she wear the pink sweater I gave her. I bought her a new dress for graduation, more formfitting that any of her other clothes, but still conservative. I didn't get to see her until we were ready to leave. 

"Jamie, are you decent?" I said outside her door. 

"I'm ready, come on in," Jamie said as I opened the door. Her hair was wavy like how she did it for the play. She wore a little blush and lipstick. The dress I got her was made of the same material from her "Thorton's Way" costume. She looked like an angel. "Well, how do I look?"

"Beautiful," I commented as I walked toward her and kissed her delicately. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes," Jamie said as she grabbed her cap and gown and reached out to hold my hand. We went downstairs and out the door. Her father drove us and my parents would be meeting us there. She sat next to me in the car and put her head on my shoulder. "Aren't you excited about graduation?"

"I'm more excited about hearing your speech," I said as I put my arm around her back. "What did you write about anyway?"

"You'll see," Jamie smiled as she locked eyes with me. I would've kissed her, but the Reverend was driving. 

"Do you know what she wrote about?" I asked the Reverend. 

"All good things come to those that wait," Reverend said as he kept his eyes on the road. It took only a few minutes to reach school. When we got there, we found a parking space close to the gym. We came about an hour early so Jamie wouldn't have to walk very far. We went into the gym where all the students gathered and Reverend Sullivan went to meet up with my family. We walked in and Eric came up with his cap and his gown on.

"Guess what, man?" Eric said as we did our handshake. "I've got nothing on underneath!"

"What are you planning on doing, man?" I asked.

"Well, I don't know," Eric said. "If the ceremony is really boring, well, Eric's going to get the party started."

"I trust that you will," Jamie said and he looked like he was shocked at her comment. Then his face developed into a very wide smile.

"That's why I love this girl," Eric said, as he kissed her on her cheek. "I'll talk to y'all later."

"Bye," Jamie and I said as Eric left. The moments before graduation were nerve-wracking. But when they finally lined us up to go out to the football field, I was ready. Since, Jamie and I now had the same last name, we got to walk out there together and sit together. It wasn't a large graduating class, only about a hundred, so we were very close to the front of the line. The first people went and we started to walk. Jamie was fine walking out to the field, but I held her hand the whole way out there. Many people were screaming and shouting for us. The band was playing the Pomp and Circumstance and there were lights everywhere. Flashes were going off from cameras and some had signs. As we walked by, everyone started to cheer. I looked up to see a big banner that said… "WE LOVE LANDON AND JAMIE CARTER!" I looked closer and Dean was on one side of the poster and Eddie Zimmerhoff was on the other side. I chuckled and waved to Dean. He didn't have enough credits so he wasn't graduating.

"Baby, look up," I said to Jamie and she looked up. She smiled almost to the point of tears. She kissed my cheek and we continued to walk. We finally sat down in our chairs and Jamie rested to her head on my shoulder. She needed to rest up for her speech, which she was going to deliver about fifteen minutes into the ceremony.

Principal Kelly stood up from her chair and silenced the crowd with his hands. "Welcome family, friends and the graduating class of 1997…" He continued to talk but I really wasn't listening. I was paying attention to Jamie. I rubbed her shoulders and listened to her breathing. Then I heard her start to whisper to herself. I guess that she was saying a prayer. After a while, I heard her name over the intercom.

"And now, by the graduating classes votes, it was unanimous that a certain individual would speak. She has been the unsung positive force in our school for four years. She was a member of the Red Cross division here at Beaufort, an active member in the Stars and Planets Club, and a four-year drama club member and was more recently seen in 'Thorton's Way.' Please welcome to the stage Jamie Sullivan-Carter." As soon as her name was mentioned, the crowd went wild. I stood up to help Jamie to the stage. I walked her to the stage and helped her up the stairs. As soon as she got to the podium and Principal Kelly was behind her, I went back to my seat.

Jamie smiled and pulled out her note cards. She looked up and smiled again and then made eye contact with me. I smiled back and coaxed her to start.

"High school is an interesting and different experience for everyone. Some of us are very popular and high school is easy for us. And there are some people that don't have the best time here and this day is a very joyous one. For me, high school has been a wonderful and rewarding experience that I will never forget. So many good things have happened to me here at Beaufort High and it will never fade in my memory." She looked right at me and continued. "For some of you, you are moving on to better and bigger things. For some, that is to get out of Beaufort and make names for ourselves and some of us want to stay. The future is so close we can touch it but we might be afraid to grasp it. Don't be afraid of life and the future. Live each day like it was your last. You never know when you will be taken from this world. In addition, it is vital to know who you are and have faith in yourself. I will miss all of you. Thank you."

The crowd started to scream and shout when Jamie was finished. I heard New Year's toys in the audience and every single one was making as much noise as it could. I went to the side stairs to help her back to our chairs. Then Principal Kelly announced on the microphone... "Now, may we introduce to you the graduating class of 1997! Row 1!"

We were in Row 2, so Jamie could rest a little bit before we went up. It took only five minutes for the first row to finish and then Principal Kelly announced for Row 2 to stand up. I held Jamie's hand as we went to our stairwell. It came time for Jamie to go up the stairs. 

"Jamie Elizabeth Sullivan-Carter!" Principal Kelly announced as Jamie stood on the spot. Everyone was shouting her name and clapping their hands until they stung. I went next.

"Landon Rollins Carter," Principal Kelly said and everyone cheered for me but not as much as for Jamie. It was Jamie's day, Jamie's triumph. She survived high school, the place where people weren't as nice to her as she deserved and she kept her sense of self intact. Eric didn't even rip off his gown because he told me later that he didn't feel right taking the spotlight away from Jamie. When the ceremony was over and all the caps were thrown up, I went home with Jamie. We didn't talk about the crowds yelling for her or the huge sign Dean and Eddie were holding. All she did was read her bible and fall asleep in my arms. 


End file.
